Tag: Malcolm Jenkins

Two former allies who were key players in the NFL national anthem protests that dominated the league’s attention during the 2017 season almost came to blows before today’s game.
Carolina Panthers safety Eric Reid and Philadelphia Eagles saf…

Adding a new and ugly twist to one of his favorite fall-back techniques for rallying the base, President Donald Trump appeared to question either the intelligence or the motivations of professional football players who protest during the National Anthe…

A group of NFL players — Anquan Boldin, Malcolm Jenkins, Doug Baldwin and Benjamin Watson — told President Donald Trump that his offer to pardon those who received unfair treatment by the justice system “will not address” the systemic injustice they have been protesting.

“A handful of pardons will not address the sort of systemic injustice that N.F.L. players have been protesting,” they wrote in an op-ed in the New York Times. “These are problems that our government has created, many of which occur at the local level. If President Trump thinks he can end these injustices if we deliver him a few names, he hasn’t been listening to us.”

The quartet of players are all members of the Players Coalition, an advocacy group made up of former and current NFL players.

“The United States effectively uses prison to treat addiction, and you could argue it is also our largest mental-health provider,” the players continued. “Law enforcement has a responsibility to serve its communities, yet this responsibility has too often not met basic standards of accountability.”

The players mentioned Trump’s decision to pardon Alice Johnson, a 62-year-old woman who was serving a life sentence for a non-violent drug offense as an example. “Imagine how many more Alice Johnsons the president could pardon if he treated the issue like the systemic problem it is, rather than asking professional football players for a few cases,” they said.

Earlier this month, Trump offered to meet with NFL players who kneeled during the national anthem to ask them who they think has been treated unfairly by the justice system. “He could use his powers, including the clemency power, to make a real dent in the federal prison population,” the players said.

The relationship between Trump and the league’s players has been contentious in recent years, primarily over their decision to kneel during the national anthem as a way of protesting police brutality against minorities. Trump’s offer came weeks after he rescinded an invite to the Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles, a customary invitation given to the NFL’s champion.

In addition to the NYT op-ed, other players including Torrey Smith, Chris Long and Rodney McLeod posted videos on Twitter directly addressing Trump.

The day after the Philadelphia Eagles were scheduled to visit the White House to celebrate their Super Bowl LII victory, the strong safety refused to answer questions from a crowd of reporters and instead held up signs voicing his opinion about the current political climate.

“You aren’t listening,” read one handwritten sign. “More than 60% of people in prison are people of color,” said another.

The media standoff in the Eagles’ locker room during NFL minicamp was prompted by President Trump disinviting the Super Bowl champions to the White House this week, saying it was because the players “disagree with their president” who “insists that they proudly stand for their national anthem.”

On Tuesday, Jenkins hit back at the White House in a long Twitter post, calling the snub a way to “paint the picture that these players are anti-America, anti-flag, anti-military” — but he clearly thought his message fell on deaf ears and decided to clarify exactly what players have been protesting.

Jenkins had previously said that he would not attend the traditional visit to meet the president after the Eagles beat the New England Patriots on Feb. 5

He isn’t the only Eagles player to blast the White House’s statement. On Monday, wide receiver Torrey Smith wrote on Twitter that “It’s a cowardly act to cancel the celebration because the majority of the people don’t want to see you. To make it about the anthem is foolish.”

Philadelphia Eagles safety Malcolm Jenkins has released a sharply worded statement in response to President Trump disinviting the team to visit the White House. The Super Bowl LII champions had been originally scheduled to meet the president on Tuesday to celebrate their victory over the New England Patriots last February.

In a Twitter post Tuesday, Jenkins wrote in length of the players’ plight, defended what they’ve done for their local community and hit back at the White House, calling the snub a way to “paint the picture that these players are anti-America, anti-flag, anti-military.”

Praising his teammates, in particular defensive end Chris Long who donated his entire 2017 salary to charity, Jenkins said they’ve “fed the hungry, we’ve mentored our youth, we’ve fought to create opportunities for communities and individuals who have been disenfranchised, we’ve given scholarships and the list goes on.”

“We’ve done all of this while climbing to the win the highest esteem in our profession. We are athletes, but as citizens, we are doing everything in our power to make our communities better. That is the hard, but, right thing to do,” the two-time Super Bowl champion said.

In a statement released Monday, Trump said that he was rescinding the invitation because the Eagles players “disagree with their president” who “insists that they proudly stand for their national anthem.” Jenkins said in his post that Trump’s claim that his teammates refused to stand is false, as “zero” Philadelphia Eagles players knelt during the anthem last season.

“The Philadelphia Eagles are unable to come to the White House with their full team to be celebrated tomorrow,” the White House statement continued. “They disagree with their President because he insists that they proudly stand for the National Anthem, hand on heart, in honor of the great men and women of our military and the people of our country.”

The cancellation came after several players — including Jenkins and Long — said that they would not visit the White House following the team’s championship.

Jenkins isn’t the only Eagles player to blast the White House’s decision. On Monday, wide receiver Torrey Smith wrote on Twitter that “It’s a cowardly act to cancel the celebration because the majority of the people don’t want to see you. To make it about the anthem is foolish.”

After President Trump disinvited the Philadelphia Eagles from visiting the White House on Tuesday, wide receiver Torrey Smith called the recall “a cowardly act.”

“There are a lot of people on the team that have plenty of different views. The men and women that wanted to go should’ve been able to go,” Smith wrote on Twitter Monday afternoon. “It’s a cowardly act to cancel the celebration because the majority of the people don’t want to see you. To make it about the anthem is foolish.”

The Super Bowl-winning wide receiver was reacting to Trump’s announcement earlier in the day that the “Philadelphia Eagles are unable to come to the WhiteHouse with their full team to be celebrated tomorrow. They disagree with their President because he insists that they proudly stand for the National Anthem, hand on heart, in honor of the great men and women of our military and the people of our country.”

In a string of tweets in response, Smith said: “So many lies smh Here are some facts 1. Not many people were going to go 2. No one refused to go simply because Trump “insists” folks stand for the anthem 3. The President continues to spread the false narrative that players are anti military.”

He also replied to one commentator he said that players had no business being honored if they refuse to stand for the national anthem by saying: “If you are going to tweet…tweet facts…no one on the Eagles took a knee last season……….”

A trip to meet with the current president is part of the traditional honor for the reigning Super Bowl champions. The sudden cancellation of this week’s ceremony came after several other players — including Smith, Chris Long and Malcolm Jenkins — had said that they would not visit the White House following their Super Bowl LII victory over the New England Patriots last February.

So many lies smh
Here are some facts
1. Not many people were going to go
2. No one refused to go simply because Trump “insists” folks stand for the anthem
3. The President continues to spread the false narrative that players are anti military pic.twitter.com/89GUNhJ4eE

There are a lot of people on the team that have plenty of different views. The men and women that wanted to go should’ve been able to go. It’s a cowardly act to cancel the celebration because the majority of the people don’t want to see you. To make it about the anthem is foolish

Trump has disinvited the Philadelphia Eagles from visiting the White House on Tuesday. A trip to meet with the current president is part of the traditional honor for the reigning Super Bowl champions.

In a statement released Monday, the POTUS said that he’s rescinding the invitation because the Eagles players “disagree with their president” who “insists that they proudly stand for their national anthem.”

“The Philadelphia Eagles are unable to come to the WhiteHouse with their full team to be celebrated tomorrow,” the statement read. “They disagree with their President because he insists that they proudly stand for the National Anthem, hand on heart, in honor of the great men and women of our military and the people of our country.”

The cancellation came after several players — including Chris Long and Malcolm Jenkins — had said that they would not visit the White House following their Super Bowl LII victory over the New England Patriots last February.

The White House announcement went on to say that the fans who were scheduled to attend are still invited to a “different type of ceremony,” which according to the statement will “honor our great country.”

“The Eagles wanted to send a smaller delegation, but the 1,000 fans planning to attend the event deserve better. These fans are still invited to the WhiteHouse to be part of a different type of ceremony — one that will honor our great country, pay tribute to the heroes who fight to protect it, and loudly and proudly play the National Anthem. I will be there at 3:00 p.m. with the United States Marine Band and the United States Army Chorus to celebrate America,” the statement from Trump read.